1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to data input devices for computers and related devices. More particularly, this invention relates to a keyboard and method of typing or keying which provides for the mapping of the numerous keys found in a full-sized standard keyboard into a data input device which employs primarily ten data input keys. The keyboard and method of the present invention sets both alpha and numeric character inputs in a consecutive order across the operators fingers and requires the simultaneous actuation of no more than two keys to produce any alpha, numeric or symbolic characters. This invention develops a natural way to produce the twenty six-letter alphabet utilizing ten single presses and two thumb-initiated shifts.
2. Description of the Background Art
Presently, there exist many types of devices for data input. The most conventional device used is the QWERTY keyboard that was developed by Charles Latham Sholes and his co-inventors in the late 1800""s. The QWERTY keyboard is based upon one or two keys being depressed or manipulated per character data input. More specifically, as to the alphabetic characters, there is one key per letter of the alphabet. It is commonly believed that in order to prevent the mechanical jamming of the mechanical typewriter keys, the QWERTY keyboard was laid out such that commonly used keys are placed far apart thereby minimizing the likelihood of mechanical problems. While the design of the QWERTY keyboard may have been designed to minimize mechanical problems attendant with manual keyboards, it forces the typist to move their fingers in awkward patterns to construct words and requires the typically weakest fingers and left hand to be utilized predominantly. In modem computer keyboards the antiquated QWERTY design has grown to include more than one hundred keys, making it difficult to master touch typing all of the various functions and inputs. Users of typical QWERTY keyboards often suffer from Repetitive Strain Injuries (hereinafter xe2x80x9cRSIxe2x80x9d), an umbrella term that refers to strain injuries of the neuro-musculoskeletal system such as carpal tunnel syndrome. RSI presumably result from fine fast repetitive activities which adversely affect the hands, wrists, forearms, elbows, arms and shoulders of one or both upper extremities. Notwithstanding its deficiencies, the QWERTY keyboard has long been the standard for word processing and currently remains so.
Attempts have been made over the years to improve upon data input devices and key arrangements in light of advances in keyboard mechanics and the far ranging applications requiring data input.
The Dvorak keyboard was created by an efficiency expert, August Dvorak, and a former college professor, William L. Dealey, in the mid-1930""s. The Dvorak keyboard is premised upon the placement of predominantly used keys, such as the vowels on a home row of keys, thereby minimizing the necessity for the user to remove their hands and/or fingers from frequently used characters. The Dvorak keyboard is a full-sized keyboard and although available today, still has never achieved a high level of commercial success.
Attempts to accommodate advances in electronics design and devices requiring data input continued, including the downsizing of computer systems and their integration into diverse applications, efforts are being made to change computer keyboards, peripherals and methods of typing. There is a great deal of prior art relating to alternative keyboard or data entry devices and methods for data input.
Consider background patents that illustrate, for example, keyboard or data entry devices having a reduced number of keys from a standard QWERTY keyboard. Keyboard or data entry devices that are premised upon use of a minimal number of keys are often referred to as chordal or chordic. Typically, chord keyboards have between five and twenty-five keys. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,510 to Matthews; U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,516 to Retter and U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,255 to Langley. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,431 to Whitaker discloses a combinational keyboard with movable keys. The disclosure of these patents is incorporated by reference and some may have applicability to the present invention but largely only as representative devices on which the methodology and key assignments of the present invention may be incorporated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,777 to Bequaert et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,416 to Estes; U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,181 to George; U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,966 to Walsh, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,864 to MacDonald, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein, disclose chord keyboards and methods for encoding characters for a chordic keyboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,777 discloses a one-handed keyboard and control means. Specifically, a keyboard which has ten keys controlled by the four fingers and four keys controlled by the thumb of the same hand. In use, the operator is often required to press several keys, i.e., four adjacent keys, at once to select the desired character or function and must recall the complex arrangement of characters which coincide to the four fingers of the hand operating the keyboard. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,181 discloses an ergonomically correct hand held, eighteen (18) key, chord keyboard designed to be operated by the four fingers and thumb of one hand of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,416 discloses a chordal keyboard method and apparatus incorporating a first set of registers and a second set of registers whereby a controller detects when all of the plurality of keys depressed are in a released position and then generates a key code corresponding to symbol locations set in the first set of registers. The method of this invention relies on a particular form of binary Gray code.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,864 discloses an input device with a plurality of keys whereby the processor device displays a prompt or indicia to indicate which combination of one or more digits effect the desired instruction or data input and thereby which keys must be activated to achieve the desired effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,966 discloses a method of encoding only the alphabetic characters for a chord keyboard.
Reduced key or chord keyboards have failed to gain commercial success largely due to the complexity in learning a new system for associating multiple keystrokes to realize specific character inputs and their inability to reproduce the entire functionality of a modern full sized QWERTY computer keyboard. Additionally, prior chord keyboards were typically based upon too few keys, resulting in complex fingering combinations being required to generate each desired character thus slowing the typing process and increasing the likelihood of user error.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provide an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the data input device art.
Another object of this invention is to provide a keyboard and keying system that is capable of emulating the functionality of a standard full sized keyboard, including computer peripheral functionality found on most pointing devices.
Another object of this invention is to provide a small number of keys and reduce or eliminate the movement of the fingers from one key to another, thereby simultaneously reducing the incidence of xe2x80x9chunt and peckxe2x80x9d typing.
Another object of this invention is to permit the production of alpha and numeric characters consecutively by actuating no more than two keys and the desired character is generated upon the instant of contact with the second key or release of a single pressed key.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method of data input which is logical and easy to learn and requires only ordinary skill and care on the part of the operator to avoid unwanted keystrokes.
Another object of the invention is to develop a system that can interpret finger positions into a language that contains all data normally derived from a modern full-sized keyboard and may be used to send and receive data.
Another object of the invention is to develop a system which when used with devices that do not accommodate traditional hand placement, at least ten data input keys will be assigned symbolically to the system which may be actuated by alternative means.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
For the purpose of summarizing this invention, this invention relates to a data input device and method of encoding key assignments for a data input system which provides for the mapping of all the numerous keys, alpha, numeric, symbolic and function, found in a full-sized modem keyboard into ten data input keys. As used herein, symbolic characters shall refer to any commonly used characters such as xe2x80x9c@xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c%xe2x80x9d typical to a full-sized modern keyboard. The data input system of the present invention aids in reducing keyboard size associated with data input by incorporating all input functions to a minimum of keys. The data input system, whether depressed through a single stroke or combination, evolves data input from a complex system requiring numerous keys laid out in an unwieldy fashion into a system of single finger keys which are actuated in simple combinations. In practice, each key of the primary ten data input keys of the present invention acts as a xe2x80x9cshift keyxe2x80x9d creating user options when first depressed. Pressing a subsequent key or keys or releasing the initial depressed key will cause the desired character or function to occur.
The utilization of ten data input keys, with a simple press and release function, versus upwards of one hundred keys found in a modern QWERTY computer keyboard, permits the data input method of the present invention to be built into many types of previously prohibitive and different devices including, but not limited to, xe2x80x9cvirtual realityxe2x80x9d gloves, computer game devices, cell phones, pagers, car steering wheels, hand held computers and table top keyboards. Additionally, peripheral functionality (e.g., mouse) can be included into the data input system of the present invention to increase functionality.
The present invention can also be used to input data on devices that are too small to accommodate full finger placement. Such a device would preferably consist of at least ten small buttons of which the operator may actuate two or more buttons, with any means necessary, one and then another. This feature allows data devices to evolve into smaller and more easily carried apparatuses and into devices using keys like those of a telephone if programmed with the intended system. This system would enable people the ability to input and access information on a device smaller that current keyboard configurations allow and thus may help advance computing science.
Of the primary ten data input keys, the ten single stroke keys are the letters xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d through xe2x80x9cjxe2x80x9d and are produced with a single contact and release or keystroke. In a preferred embodiment, the letter xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d starts with the right index finger and xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d the right middle, xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d the ring finger and xe2x80x9cdxe2x80x9d the pinkie. The right thumb is xe2x80x9cexe2x80x9d and the left thumb is xe2x80x9cfxe2x80x9d. The left index, middle, ring and pinkie are xe2x80x9cg, h, i, jxe2x80x9d, respectively. This fixes all vowels to strong fingers by dividing them across the index fingers, both ring fingers and the right thumb digits of the operator""s hands. The next eight letters are produced with the right thumb depressed, skipping the left thumb, and the final eight with the lift thumb depressed and skipping the right thumb. Pressing both thumbs causes a shifted result of the next input or makes the next letter capitalized. Numbers 1-5 are produced using the left pinkie through thumb, while depressing the right pinkie and 6-0 are produced with the right thumb through pinkie, while depressing the left pinkie. The keys and functions are logically arranged with word associations, grammatical usage and common functions into sensible combinations making the data input system of the present invention easy to learn and master.
Two-finger simple combinations instead of numerous multiple keys in multiple locations will make typing with the ten key system of the present invention easy to learn. The ten key system of the present invention can produce over 165 common character, command or function inputs and uses combination keys with a buffer to generate multiple keystroke functions such as control-alternate-delete. The data input system of the present invention provides a user with a new mechanism to utilize virtual reality technology and mobile computing, while redefining the possibilities of game play, while providing relaxed hand positioning and reducing the finger distension and agility required with typical QWERTY keyboards.
Unlike most chord keyboards, the data input keyboard and method of the present invention primarily produces the desired character the instant of contact with the second subsequent key or upon release of the initial key if only one key is actuated. Therefore, unlike previous chord keyboards or methods for encoding chord keyboards, the present method does not require an operator to actuate and hold or actuate and release multiple keys simultaneously to generate the desired character thereby improving chord typing speed. Each of the operator""s fingers xe2x80x9cshiftxe2x80x9d to allow new options so their hands are not required to leave the home row of ten data input keys. This improvement permits faster typing and data input than with chord keyboards that require more than two keys be pressed or a combination of keys be released to generate a character. The data input system of the present invention emulates all of the input and functionality of a modern full-sized keyboard (which may have in excess of one hundred keys), and may incorporate peripheral functionality. Through the utilization of two or less keys, using caps locks, number lock or scroll lock, the data input system of the present invention can produce over 151 common character, command or function inputs. A minimal number of functions require three keys to be pressed. The present invention overcomes the shortcomings in the prior art because commonly used alphabetic and numeric data is associated in consecutive nature. Other keys build upon letter associations with certain fingers responsible for specific input functions. In this way, common characters and functions are kept together and aid in recollection of similar keys and or characters.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifing or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.